Cherry Blossom Baseball

January 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Maruno's latest installment in the series takes Michiko to a new town due to her father's job. Michiko's father lost his job when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In this new town, she experiences not only the discrimination of being a Japanese Canadian during World War II but also the additional discrimination of being an outsider in a close-knit community. One day, she gets lost and meets a local boy who plays baseball. Her new friend encourages her to try out for the team. Michiko's hair is under her hat, and she is mistaken for a boy and chosen to play on the team. Soon there is a controversy when her true gender is discovered. Readers will find Michiko a bit of a worrier. Secondary characters have lives that are never fully fleshed out. The prose glitters at moments, but other times falters, as the author repeats information unnecessarily or omits context from events that happened in the previous two books. VERDICT A historically accurate story about being an outsider, family values, and the ability of sports to bring people together; a secondary purchase for larger middle grade collections.-Susan Wackerbarth, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

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September 15, 2015
During World War II, Michiko experiences racial prejudice and the challenges of being a pitcher on a boys' team in this third novel from the Cherry Blossom series. When Michiko and her Japanese-Canadian family move to a flower farm in Ontario, where her father will be working the fields, she leaves behind Aunt Sadie and Uncle Kaz. Like any budding player, Michiko faithfully wears her baseball cap with the letter "A" that once belonged to Uncle Kaz, who played for the Asahi team. She longs for running shoes so she can circle the bases, but her mother, Eiko, disapproves. At her new school, Michiko uses her English name, "Millie," makes some friends, and deals with a bully, Carolyn. And a first crush comes calling. When Michiko makes the pitching rotation for the town's baseball team, she's beyond thrilled. But on top of being perceived as the enemy, there's another strike against her: being a girl. Wartime attitudes and challenges, combined with coming-of-age moments and family values, blend well in this novel. One telling moment comes when Michiko writes letters to soldiers to support the war effort. One soldier writes back asking for her picture while using a racial slur against Michiko's ethnicity. Despite the shock, Michiko continues to write, believing servicemen need letters, even from strangers. A gentle story about seeking a place while taking your best shot. (author's note, glossary) (Historical fiction. 8-12)

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